The summer is over. I know everybody complains about the heat but I love it. Born and raised here in New Hampshire, but I live for the couple of weeks we get mid-summer where the humidity is at max and the sun is beating. Although every year I do find myself falling in love with the fall as it returns. We are so blessed to live here in New England. A place where the seasons change. Where we can drink relatively clean water and participate in a free and open society. There are deep issues which need be addressed but we must also hold equally as deep gratitude for the fact that we live in such a beautiful and safe part of our tumultuous Earth. 

As the primary campaign has come to an end, so does the competitive part of this election to the State House of Representatives. There are two Republican candidates for the position; Rachael Maidment and Matthew Pilcher. However, both of them are sadly not actively campaigning and the voter demographics of the district are such that the general election almost automatically goes to the Democratic Party’s nominees. Leaving the months between the primary and the general ballots less busy directly here in town. There are still plenty of events that go on, and I certainly did not stop door knocking - but it wasn’t taking up every ounce of my free time as it was in the primary. 

That also means that I am back into the full swing of work. I started a new job, and a candidacy for the State House at the same time. Having to fulfill both responsibilities left me with very little extra time in the summer, and as I’ve said before that extra time was used to campaign even harder. Now, with the election work slowing down to a steady general election pace I am able to execute on all the projects I had been working to build up during the summer at work. 

I am working specifically in the Nashua School District right now. Running a team comprised of the President of the New Hampshire American Federation of Teachers Union Deb Howes, the President of the Nashua Teachers Union Adam Marcoux, and Christina Darling, a local parent and member of the school board. Together, we brought in a network of parents, students, and teachers. Organizing listening sessions with those same groups. We began this program with the teachers. It was an incredible experience of bringing together people who work together everyday, but don’t ever have the opportunity to discuss the issues they see. Teachers are the ones directly impacted by the changes made by the administration, or the school board but they don’t often feel as though they can speak up. So we built a space for them to do so. We will be doing the same with the students and parents over the course of the fall. Building avenues which they can trek to address the issues they see in their schools. 

Nashua was chosen as the place to begin this work because of the tension which burst out last year. The school board was facing threats from parents, the parents felt persecuted, the students were left stuck without a voice. The system was breaking down. So we came together to organize around easing that tension. Building bridges where there had been walls. Neighbors fighting neighbors never ends well. It is through conversations that we find solutions. It’s a pleasure to be doing this work.